This invention relates to a plasma burning device for electrothermal and electrothermal/chemical gun systems. The device has a high-voltage electrode which passes perpendicularly through a bottom zone of a container (case) accommodating the plasma material. The high-voltage electrode and the gun tube which functions as a counter electrode, are connected to a high-voltage source. The high-voltage electrode has an energy supply bar (current conductor bar) provided with an insulation.
U.S Pat. No. 5,287,791 discloses a precision generator for an electrothermal/chemical gun system, having an anode and a cathode for igniting the plasma. A thin wire disposed in the plasma channel electrically connects the anode and the cathode with one another. Upon applying a high voltage, the wire is combusted, whereby an arc is generated which ignites a propellant charge for launching a projectile.
U.S. Pat. No 5,355,764 likewise discloses a plasma generator for an electrothermal/chemical gun. The generator disclosed therein has an anode and a cathode as well as a thin metal wire therebetween within a plasma channel for igniting the plasma.
It is a disadvantage of both above-outlined conventional generators that long insulating paths are necessary to prevent an arc discharge from the high-voltage side (anode) to the grounded gun tube.
An annular plasma injector for an electrothermal/chemical driving system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,081. In one of the embodiments, a grounded cathode is electrically connected by an igniting wire externally of the plasma chamber with a high-voltage side. The igniting wire has the function of generating an arc. The element serving as the igniting wire is disposed in the fuel chambers, and the ground side is grounded via the gun tube. The element serving as the igniting wire is separated from the plasma by an insulating sleeve. If the intensity of current passing through the igniting wire is sufficiently high, the element is evaporated and supplies for the plasma the fuel mass contained in the element.
German Offenlegungsschrift No. 196 17 895 discloses a plasma injection device for electrothermal guns, having a multipart propellant case through which only one electrode passes; the second electrode is constituted by the grounded gun tube.
Because of the expansion of an arc between the inner electrode and the gun tube and the accompanying phenomenon, according to which the generated gas streams and arc root-points are driven into the gun tube, significant corrosion appears in the conical zone of the breech zone and occasionally also in the muzzle zone of the gun tube.